Image capturing device for high-resolution images and extended field-of-view images

Abstract

An image capturing device, such as a digital camera, is able to take photos having a resolution higher than the native resolution capabilities of the device determined by the imager. The device can also take photos having a field-of-view (FOV) that is greater than the normal capabilities of the device. The photos taken have a higher vertical and horizontal FOV (or only an increased horizontal FOV creating a panoramic photo) than the lens of the imager allows natively. The imager of the device may be positioned to point in different directions using an actuator, that is, the actuator can pan and tilt the imager. The imager can also zoom in or out at various levels and has a maximum zoom level. To create either type of photo, an array of cells is used as a tool to capture a series of subimages where the imager is pointed in different directions for each subimage. To create the high-resolution photo, the imager is zoomed into its maximum level and captures each of the subimages based on the array of cells. To create the extended FOV photo, the imager is panned and tilted as much as possible using the actuator and captures each of the subimages based on the array of cells. In both cases the subimages are then stitched together to form a final image.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to digital photographic equipment and software. More specifically, it relates to high resolution imaging, extended field imaging, and image stitching.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]With the advent of digital photography, consumers, many of whom are not professional photographers, have been able to take many more photographs using digital cameras, store them in convenient formats for displaying and sharing, and perform enhancements on them with relatively simple software programs. Most of the alterations and enhancements are done after the photograph is taken with software tools that have become widely available to consumers. The digital cameras themselves, with the exception of very high-end cameras, have not fundamentally changed. Resolutions have improved and the number of options with respect to lighting, for example, has increased.[0005]However, the way pictures are taken ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]One embodiment is a method of creating a high-resolution digital image using an image capturing device, such as a digital camera. The user of the device frames a preview image in a preview display (viewfinder display) of the device. The relevant system within the device obtains the preview image which has an original resolution. It also obtains the optical zoom level (focal length) used to create the preview image. The system uses this zoom level and the maximum zoom level of the device to calculate a subimage number. In one embodiment, the subimage number is derived from an array of cells, each cell corresponding to a subimage. The array has a horizontal number of cells and vertical number of cells. The subimage number is the product of these two numbers. The imager of the device captures a subimage number of subimages, that is, the device takes a certain number (a subimage number) of pictures of different segments of the preview image. The image zooms into a maximum or higher zoom level before capturing each of the subimages. Each of the higher resolution subimages are stitched or combined together to create a high-resolution final image.

[0008]Another embodiment is a method of taking a digital image having an extended field-of-view (FOV), that is, covering a wide horizontal and vertical span. A preview image is framed by the user in the preview display of an image capture device, such as a camera. The preview image is one segment of a larger final image but only the preview image can be seen in the preview (or viewfinder) display. The preview image has an initial FOV creating a top and bottom border and a left and right border. The top and bottom borders define a vertical component of the initial FOV and the left and right borders define a horizontal component of the FOV (sometimes referred to as the panoramic view). The system obtains the preview image and an initial (or current) zoom level and its corresponding FOV, for example, by using a zoom level-FOV data table. The FOV may have a vertical component and a horizontal component. These data are used to calculate a subimage number, which may be the product of a horizontal number of cells and a vertical number of cells from an array of cells. The imager of the device captures a subimage number of subimages, as described in the high-resolution embodiment, thereby creating an array of subimages. The number of cells in the array may depend on the tilting and panning capabilities of an actuator mechanism that moves the imager. The subimages captured are of the scenes or areas surrounding the preview image. The subimages are stitched or combined to form a final extended FOV image which covers more area than the preview image. In one embodiment, the resolution of the preview image and the final image is the same. The two images differ in the amount of area or space captured in each image.

Problems solved by technology

However, the way pictures are taken has not changed over the years.

Photo enhancing software, for example, cannot increase the FOV of the image captured by a digital camera, nor can it typically increase the resolution of a picture.

These often also require a tripod, mount, or other mechanical attachment, such as controlled imagers or actuation mechanisms, which many lay consumers do not want to use or know how to use.

This may be because of the risk involved in damaging the camera when attaching and using such equipment, the inconvenience of having to carry large or heavy equipment, and high equipment costs.

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